All Articles By: Janelle
Astoria.
I recently spent a weekend in Astoria, Oregon—a tiny town cascading down toward the mouth of the Columbia River. The first settlement west of the Rockies (1811 by fur trader John Jacob Astor), this quaint town is worth visiting and revisiting. I collected countless photos, met pillars of the community, talked beer and tasted food. It isn’t shocking to meet someone from Astoria only to learn this: “I took… [more]
eggplant ragu… on soft polenta.
I teach cooking classes at a nearby cooking school. It isn’t uncommon to have class participants who are vegetarian, gluten-free and/or have food allergies or restrictions. Offering substitutes or alternative dishes—aka accommodating those needs—is part and parcel to being a chef.
Sometimes during an iron chef event, we have a whole team dubbed ‘vegetarian.’ For example: a group of 60 might be participating in an iron chef event—each team… [more]
girl scout lemon cookie & shrimp ravioli (in a lemon cream sauce)
Yes you heard me right. Girl Scout cookies tucked into a savory shrimp ravioli. Make no mistake: this is not commonplace in our home. When I think cookies, I assume snack or dessert. Holiday treats even. Girl Scouts are about to sell their cookies in Washington State, and in an effort to bring awareness to ‘GIRL SCOUT COOKIES FOR SALE MARCH 2-18′, they reached out… [more]
Top 6 things to do in Astoria and Warrenton, Oregon
While there are a multitude of cool things to do, see and experience in this happening northwest corner of Oregon, I whittled it down to just 6—chosen on my last visit.*
I recently spent a weekend in Astoria, Oregon, a VERY quaint coastal town at the mouth of the Columbia River. This tiny piece of land boasts 2 long bridges that stretch across the Columbia. The Astoria-Megler Bridge is… [more]
resolutions 2012.
I always like to wait until February of a given year, to finalize my New Year resolutions. A bonafide procrastination technique: my excuse is that I begin THINKING about resolutions at the beginning of January. Then let them marinate. Until I finally come up with my deliberately crafted list of things to do/change/see/be.
Yes: I need to drink more water (and probably fewer Manhattans—certainly not this whole case of beer!).***… [more]
foodbuzz 24×24: an all white wintry meal
I have long been intrigued with color. Some geniuses can look at the piano and ‘get it’ or do math in their sleep. To some, a canvas speaks to them or the sculpture is in the marble waiting to be carved free. Others are born to sing or work with their hands, have a sense of people’s needs or can readily wrap their mind around litigation. Numbers dance in… [more]
delicata squash ‘pasta’ ribbons with chanterelle mushrooms
What is this mom?
Not something the boys had seen before: ribbons of delicata squash made to look like pasta. A simple squash—skip the boiling water for this faux pasta—lightly sauteed, topped with toasted walnuts and chanterelle mushrooms. I LOVE this ingenious tip: you don’t even need to peel the squash.
This yummy little number was inspired by a recent night at the restaurant (I help at a neighborhood… [more]
quinoa, red bean and yellow pepper chili
I love chili, especially this time of year. It is perfect for a warm lunch, snack or light dinner the same way crisp lettuce greens and just-picked berries scream of summer.
I love chili because: it is a brilliant after-school snack for my teenage, growing-taller-than-life sons. I can start a batch mid-afternoon and when they swing open the door and bee-line it to the crock-pot. Sometimes I make chili… [more]
swimming RAMA.
There is a place called Jai Thai in the Fremont and Capital Hill neighborhoods of Seattle; almost every time I go, I order the Swimming Rama. Chicken smothered in coconut-laced peanut sauce, swimming on a bed of fresh spinach? Sign me up. Besides, then I don’t feel over-full from eating piles of carbs.
This is as good a time as any to insert this chicken recipe onto our… [more]
gnocchi. and why it is your friend.
I have been teaching a lot of gnocchi-making classes lately.
I adore traditional gnocchi made with waxy, yellow potatoes (nope: don’t use russets/baking potatoes). Though sweet potato gnocchi is wildly popular and the other day a plate of beet gnocchi made me smile—I am still a sucker for classic potato. Gnocchi lend themselves to a myriad of dishes, and are a fantastic candidate for… [more]
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